Summer’s unofficially arrived, and with it, lobster season. Next time you splurge on the crustaceans, bear in mind the best way to get all the meat out of them — and don’t throw away those shells, because you can use them to make a fantastic lobster butter.

On recently discovering lobster butter, New York Times food editor Sam Sifton writes, “It was like hearing a summer anthem for the very first time, addictive from the start.” The method for making this essence of lobster is simple: roast shells of cooked lobsters with unsalted butter. He points out that it’s not unlike making a seafood stock, only you’re simmering shells with fat instead of with water.

Sifton recommends using the flavor enhancer be used for shrimp, fish, clams, and mussels; as a dip for lobster to make it even more lobster-y; as a topping for sautéed scallops, fish, or corn; or as a mix-in for spaghetti. We’re adding this to our to-do list, because if you’re going to treat yourself to something as luxurious as lobster, you might as well milk it for all it’s worth.